Posted by Feeling left out, Ronald wandered off holding his radio to his ear. I knew I should go after him; tell him to stay, because there was no reason he should feel rejected, but for some reason I didn’t. The mesmerizing presence of Catharina kept me firmly fixed in place.
She told me she was Sicilian and lived with her mother and small brother in Genoa. “Do you like boys?” She asked all of a sudden. I must have been blushing while thinking of the right answer, but somehow couldn’t speak for a moment. Finally I murmured: “Sure I do”, “what’s wrong with that?”
“Just asking”, she said, looking away. “So you and Ronald…” “Are just good friends”, I hastened to add, wondering why this question made me feel uncomfortable. “He’s a wonderful person and the best travel companion one could wish for”, I said.
“I see”, she said puzzlingly. And after what seemed like forever, she said “Well, it doesn’t concern me anyhow…” I felt inexplicably cornered by Catharina, and again at a loss for words. The most incoherent thoughts were running through my brain but I felt that at least she couldn’t sense my insecurity while I managed a non committal smile, and said bravely “no, it really does not concern you.”
“Good, now we’ve got that out of the way, tell me… do you like girls?”
I somehow knew this question was a logical sequel, but there was no way I could have prepared myself for it. “Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean, I eh…, well…” I stammered.
“Of course you do dear”, she said softly, almost whispering, and leaning over to me, ever so slightly. “You are the reason I’m still here, and you just send your friend off for a stroll.” I started to protest, but the arguments never left my mouth. We just stared at one another in silence.
“I can see I make you feel uncomfortable” she said. “It shouldn’t, you know” “I can pick out a girl’s girl a mile away”
“I’m not a girl’s girl!” I said with a slight tremor in my voice. And my heart skipped a beat when she put her hand on my knee and looked away melancholically at the full moon.
Feelings of anxiety and sensuality raced through my head, and I said “You get me all wrong.” “Listen Catherina, I like you as a person, and I feel as if we’ve known each other for ages, but I’m straight, really I am”
Still I couldn’t bring myself to removing her hand, which still rested motionlessly on my knee. “If you say so, Angie”, she said, her smoldering eyes looking deeply into mine. “If you say so…”
(to be continued)
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This is refreshing. I imagine this story has some bearing on your past? – let’s see where you take us Angie.
(I came here by mistake, looking for a pasta recipe.)
Ohh, Angie,
That was snappy!
Didn’t expect you to be so prolific a writer – GOOD, I like it even more than the first part.